The frontman bagged a brace to take his tally to three goals in as many SPL games this season and earn the Edinburgh side their first victory of the new term.

Steven Thompson pulled one back for the Buddies – who missed a first-half penalty through Paul McGowan – and they piled late pressure on Hibees but the visitors held firm for a precious win.

Griffiths, who linked well with fellow frontman Eoin Doyle, was the width of the crossbar away from a hat-trick after his second-half free-kick hit the woodwork.

Finnish international Kuqi was thrown on as a late sub but the big striker could have his work cut out getting a start.

Griffiths said: “Shefki brings bags of experience and the manager could have changed things after signing him.

“But he didn’t and Doyle and I are linking well. The big man still came on, put himself about and did really well. Maybe he’ll feel he’s given the boss a selection headache.

“I’m delighted with my goals and I nearly got a hat-trick. I told Paul Cairney I’d put the free-kick in the top corner.

“He was away celebrating before me but I was unlucky to see it crash off the bar.”

Hibs have bounced back from their opening-day Tannadice hammering by Dundee United. And boss Fenlon praised his team for their character while admitting he got it wrong in the 3-0 Tayside defeat.

He said: “I picked the wrong formation that day. It’s okay blaming players and they’ve taken stick over the last few seasons but as boss you must take responsibility.

“I changed it and the response was good. When you lose 3-0 in the first game heads can go down. But we passed well in the first half and were resolute in the second.”

Griffiths gave Hibees the lead after just 14 minutes. David Wotherspoon picked out the striker with a long-range pass but then it was all about the on-loan Wolves man.

Steven Thompson struck for St Mirren

He got a break of the ball to beat Darren McGregor but there was nothing lucky about the finish as he fired low across Craig Samson into the net. Griffiths could have added a second as he skipped past Lee Mair only to fire into the side netting.

St Mirren were handed the chance to level from the spot just after the half hour when James McPake was penalised for handball but McGowan’s poor spot-kick was easily saved by Ben Williams.

Doyle had two headed chances to extend Hibs’ lead before the break but Samson pulled off a brilliant point-blank save at the first and the Irishman sent his second effort wide from Alan Maybury’s cross.

Play was held up in the second half when McGregor - out for seven months last season with a cruciate injury - was stretchered off after Williams fell on him as they challenged for the ball. And it went from bad to worse for Saints as Griffiths nabbed the second.

Doyle cut in from the right and pulled the ball back for his unmarked strike partner to coolly slot past Samson – before picking up a booking as he ran to the Hibs fans to celebrate.

That looked to be game over but the Buddies pulled back a quickfire goal to give them hope as Imrie fizzed a low ball across the face of goal and Thompson was left in plenty of space for an easy tap-in.

Griffiths saw his free-kick crash off the crossbar yet Saints might have snatched a point but for Williams who made a brilliant point-blank stop to deny Thompson an equaliser from his half-volley.